New Asymmetric RT-PCR Microarray Technology Provides Simultaneous, Accurate Viral Detection Capable of Detecting 9+ Viruses in a Single Test – Saving Labs 70% in Costs and Delivering up to 100 Times Greater Sensitivity When Detecting Specific Viruses

Scottsdale, Arizona–(Newsfile Corp. – September 15, 2022) – PathogenDx (“PathogenDx” or “Company”), a leader in next-generation microarray technology for better health and safety, launched a new breakthrough virus detection technology – Phyto^x – to help curb the spread of new and existing plant-born pathogens, which are currently on the rise. The new Asymmetric RT-PCR microarray technology for the cannabis, food and agriculture sectors is capable of detecting nine viruses or more in a single test and provides simultaneous, accurate viral detection in approximately three hours. In addition, when compared to current viral testing technologies on the market today, Phyto^x saves testing labs 70% in costs and delivers up to 100 times greater sensitivity when detecting specific viruses.

“It’s crucial that Phyto^x1 become the new industry standard in order to protect public health and prevent producers from losing yields to pathogens that can cause huge economic damages,” said PathogenDx Co-founder and CEO Milan Patel. “Our technology shatters nearly all of the testing technology standards today for accuracy and efficiency in plant virus and pathogen detection. It is easy to administer and extraordinarily cost effective, presenting a win-win scenario for both businesses and public health alike.”

Patel added, “With the challenges that climate change presents to global food supplies, we anticipate seeing more pathogens emerge – just as we have for the last several years. These unknowns have the potential to present a grave public health danger, which could catastrophically impact crops, global food supplies and lives. By using smart next-gen technologies like Phyto^x, together, we’re helping curb the spread of pathogens that have dire consequences. Our hope is to create a safer future today while simultaneously helping operators protect their yields and consumers.”

With triplicate testing of each of the major nine viruses of concern [Hop Latent Viroid, Beet Curly Top Virus, Lettuce Chlorosis Virus, Cannabis Cryptic Virus, Alfalfa Mosaic Virus, Arabis Mosaic Virus, Tobacco Streak Virus and Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Cucumber Mosaic Virus], within a single reaction, PathogenDx’s Phyto^x offers 100% assurance that there are no false positives, and the technology was validated from 240 field samples across viruses delivering 100% specificity. When compared to the current viral testing technologies that are commonly used in cannabis, food and agriculture – namely RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (“ELISA”) – Phyto^x possesses up to 100 times greater sensitivity, detecting specific viruses accurately at a much more granular level.

By simultaneously testing for nine viruses that have historically been shown to pose as threats to cannabis, food and agricultural crops – compared to the RT-qPCR, which can identify at most three or four viral targets in a single test, and ELISA, which can identify only one – Phyto^x produces comprehensive results quicker, more effectively and more cost efficiently. To test for the same nine viruses of concern using RT-qPCR, it would cost a lab 70% more than using Phyto^x, and using ELISA it would cost even more.

Patel added, “As the cannabis, food and agricultural industries are confronted with new and different viruses, the beauty of the Phyto^x technology is its content scalability, where additional viral targets can be added in a fraction of time, cost and effort, thus ensuring ‘future proofing’ capability of the technology.”

Phyto^x utilizes standard equipment any testing lab would have on hand, foregoing special training for lab technicians aside from clipping and preparing the samples. While other technologies need to test anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 cells per reaction for detection, Phyto^x has superior sensitivity and detects viruses of concern with 100% accuracy using only 10 to 100 cells per reaction. In addition, whereas the RT-qPCR test stops after it reaches the threshold of detecting one virus – which can lead to misdiagnosis – Phyto^x amplifies the viral target DNA to its end point, identifying viruses without cross reactivity and preventing misdiagnosis.

About PathogenDx
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, PathogenDx (“PathogenDx” or “Company”) is a leader in next-generation microarray technology for better health and safety. Its mission is to become the new standard in DNA-based testing through widespread adoption of its advanced microarray testing platform for the human diagnostics, food and agricultural industries. PathogenDx’s technology can rapidly identify and detect up to 50 pathogens all in a single test, in six hours providing triplicate data per analyte for certainty in results with a simple and easy process. The company’s DNA-testing products – Detect^x™, Quant^x™ and Enviro^x™ are disrupting the century old practice of petri dish testing to identify, detect and quantify pathogens that threaten human health, our ecosystem and the environment. This technology will help growing businesses deliver safer products leading to healthier lives, while preventing billions of dollars in losses from infection and contamination. For more information on how you can utilize this simple, powerful and inexpensive DNA-based pathogen testing, visit www.pathogendx.com.

Media Contact:
MATTIO Communications
Henry Robertson
914-417-8184
[email protected]

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¹ Registered trademark pending.

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